Hair-Sized White Worms on Fish

[Vanth]

So... I noticed some little white worms on my larger tiger oscar, Okenuth just five minutes ago. There's a few free-swimming in the tank and a few stuck on him. They're the width of a hair and the longest I've seen is 2-3cm. I tried to get some pictures, but my camera is crap and decided to finally die on me. I will try to see if my friend Matt can come over soon and take some pictures. They basically look like tiny white arm hairs... lol.

Is this anchor worm or something else like just weird planaria (sp) that are kinda... there? The other issue is I just started a treatment with MelaFix today due to some wounds on him. If this is a parasitic problem, can I treat along with the MelaFix or should I stop the MelaFix and do a water change before treating?

 

[twistedhumor]

def could be parasites could be susepititbal cause of the wounds on him.

 

[Turtle_Mayhem]

I had the exact same thing in my piranha tank theyre parasites, and they populate in the thousands if not sorted. I left my tank for about 2weeks just about every surface was covered with em.

 

[Miguel]

Have you fed goldfish? I had exactly the same as you describe on a Nile Perch some time ago...

 

[ericifish]

they could be planaria worms. i've had them in my tank a few times. they look like small white almost hairs but very tiny like you say, although i've never had them actually attach to my fish. planaria worms are harmless

 

[Miguel]

planaria does not attach to fish....he must be talking about planaria looking stuff but attached to the fish ( as if the fish had fur )...and those critters are not anchor worms....

 

[beblondie]

the answer is flukes the solution is below:
Praziquantel found in jungle labs parasite guard and parasite cure also in hakari prazi-pro-Anne

 

[Miguel]

That was the name I was searching in the back of my mind....Thank You Anne.

My Nile Perch had it after a couple of months in the tank. Only ate live. I highly suspect it came with the goldfish, but did not attack any of the other fish.